FBI raids township offices in Pembroke

PEMBROKE – The FBI and IRS have raided a township office in the Kankakee County community of Pembroke after community leaders reported missing money from taxpayer-funded bank accounts, officials said.

FBI spokesman Brad Ware told The (Kankakee) Daily Journal that Thursday’s raid was part of “an ongoing investigation into corruption.”

Ware said agents spent about four hours searching the property, but didn’t release other details.

Township Supervisor Sharon White said agents interviewed employees and seized financial documents after her own internal investigation showed more than $30,000 in cash withdrawals from about two dozen bank accounts over the course of a single year.

The tiny township is one of the poorest in the Midwest.

“It’s about time,” said township attorney Jim Rowe. “We requested the investigation. We welcome it. And we look forward to Pembroke Township being cleaned up once and for all.”

A former township supervisor was sentenced to 18 months in prison for tax evasion.